title: Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement and transcription in murine T cell hybrids and T lymphomas.
abstract: We have examined the arrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain constant (CH) and joining (JH) region genes in murine T cell hybrid lines and in T lymphomas. CH genes derived from both parental cell types were present in all hybrids for which polymorphism in sequences flanking CH genes permitted us to distinguish parental CH genes. All T lymphomas and T cell hybrids retained the C alpha gene in germ-line configuration and all but one cell line had germ-line C mu genes. Novel DNA fragments reactive with JH probes were observed in six of nine T cell hybrids, as well as in two T lymphomas, WEHI7.1 and YAC-1, but not in the fusion parent, BW5147. No RNA homologous to C gamma 2b, C alpha, or lambda genes was detected in any of the T cell lines. T cell lines contained poly(A)+ RNA homologous to a C mu cDNA probe. More importantly, in several cell lines the C mu RNAs were associated with membrane-bound polyribosomes. These results suggest that both JH rearrangements and C mu RNA production occur in at least some mature, antigen-specific T cells. They may therefore reflect events in normal T cell development and function related to those involved in the generation of the T receptor for antigen.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000276:immunology; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008565:Membrane Proteins